Skip to main content

Why I've Banned "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" from my church.

I've been asked numerous times why I don't like this song and why I don't feel it's appropriate to play so youth can do the dance. Well the answer is several folds. 1) Even if you play the "clean version" the youth know the words so really you're not doing much good because they'll still say the words. 2) I think that as the Church there has to be a line drawn at some point with using secular music. Most people would agree that at church events using the f-word and others would not be allowed. Why would we allow songs that are unjust to be used just because they don’t use the f-word? 3) This song is completely about disrespectful sex and sexual behavior. Women are called "ho’s” and sexual acts that can be violent and just disrespectful to women are encouraged. 4) Why should a church support any song that degrades the integrity of any person? Purchasing and playing this song is supportive an industry that has spent decades objectifying women and teaching girls that if you show enough skin and are willing to be treated poorly you can look like you have a lot of nice things. I don’t know about you but I don’t want that kind of image being passed on to any young person I see or know.
I know it's a "fun" dance and it's even been on Ellen and some marching bands are doing it, but not in my church. Do I want dances and parties that churches have to be fun? Yes I do. But when a song is so derogatory towards women and glorifies rough sex I have problems. Our youth clearly hear this song enough outside of the Church; why not offer them other options? Show them you can still have a good time and do other dances that are out there but that they need to really think about what they're listening to, singing and encouraging. I’m not saying you can only play Christian music at Christian dances. Honestly I probably wouldn’t have gone to that type of a dance as a youth. But there are plenty of other songs out there that are clean, offer good messages and that are part of the secular world. It just takes some planning.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Can you quote the Bible?

In a conversation with a more conservative Christian then me (take in mind I call myself a bed-wetting liberal and I’m also a big time Process Theologian) the person started rambling off scripture quotes (proof texting really) to make a point. I have never claimed to be a great memorizer of anything. And even though I have read the Bible many times and own many copies of the Bible, I am still not a person who can just pull out scripture references in mid conversation. I do have several verses that I turn to and love dearly but I can’t tell you word for word what John 2:5 or Ruth 1:4 says. This got me thinking, why do Christians really feel the need to qualify their faith based on the amount of scripture that they can recite from memory? While it may be very handy to be able to quote scripture in a variety of situations, I believe that this can be dangerous. Proof texting (pulling scripture, from any religion, to support an argument without careful and learned consideration for its cont

Conflict in a Church - 1

As I watch a congregation I’m very familiar with spiral out of control I’m forced to sit and reflect on what went so wrong? Why does it seem like the only options are to either fire the minister or close the doors? When I think back the problems began before this minister was even hired. This is a congregation that wants to and likes to say that it’s a welcoming and friendly place. But in reality it isn’t and hasn’t been for the 20 some years I’ve known it. Groups of people made sure that other people knew that they were below them. They were operating then on the mentality that we did this 50 years ago so we need to keep doing it. And as for being welcoming… well with you weren’t middle-class, preferably upper middle-class and white well don’t bother walking through the door. These are all issues that existed 20 years ago and were never addressed. And shockingly these are still issues in the congregation today. Clearly this church has decided to put its head in the sand and live in th

4th of July Worship

I am an American; born here in the USA, lived here all of my life. I do like this country. I don’t always agree with the way it works or who’s running it but I’m here and I know that there are millions of people who are less fortunate in the world then me. I am thankful that I have the rights that I have and the access to so much. I know the “Star Spangled Banner” and I sing patriotic songs and like most of them. However, on July 4th Sunday (or the Sunday closest to the 4th of July), I find it hard to be in worship in congregations that structure the theme around God Bless the USA/America. I find it hard to sit there and look at church chancels that are adorned with the American flag and if people noticed where I sit it’s so it’s not in my eyesight while I worship. It bothers me that people get all festive, wearing red, white and blue to worship, but can’t remember the colors of the liturgical year. This bothers me because as Christians we are called to worship the God of all people